Binh Ba island – a military island off Cam Ranh
Binh Ba covers roughly 3 square kilometers in Cam Ranh Bay, Khanh Hoa province, and is home to around 5,000 residents who largely depend on fishing and lobster farming. The island belongs to a group of four islands in the area known collectively as “Tu Binh,” alongside Binh Hung, Binh Lap, and Binh Tien. Despite its small size, it has built a reputation beyond the local area — mostly for its lobster, which is farmed directly on the island and sold at prices lower than on the mainland.
The island has never been developed for tourism in any serious way. There are no resorts, no tourist infrastructure, and no organized attractions. What draws Vietnamese visitors is the combination of undeveloped beaches, cheap fresh seafood, and a slower pace that is harder to find on more commercialized islands along the Khanh Hoa coast.
Foreigners are not allowed on Binh Ba island
Binh Ba island remains an active military zone, and foreign nationals are not permitted to enter. This is not a technicality that can be worked around — visitors are required to present a Vietnamese ID at the port before boarding the ferry, and foreigners are turned away. The restriction has been in place for years and shows no sign of changing.
For foreign travelers, this makes Binh Ba a place to be aware of rather than plan a visit to. The rest of this guide describes the island for context, and the nearby islands chapter covers alternatives that are open to everyone.
Beaches and things to do on Binh Ba island
Binh Ba has several beaches spread across the island, each with a different character. None of them are developed in the way you would expect from a tourist destination — facilities are minimal, and some beaches are only reachable by boat. The island is small enough to cover by motorbike in a short time, which is how most visitors get around.
1. Bai Chuong
Bai Chuong sits on the east side of the island and is best known as a sunrise spot. The beach itself is rocky and not suitable for swimming, but the scenery in the early morning is what brings people here. Some visitors and local guides consider it the most photogenic spot on the island. It can get littered, which takes away from the experience, but the setting itself — rocky coastline, open sea view — is genuinely attractive at the right time of day.
2. Lo Cot Cu
Just above Bai Chuong is Lo Cot Cu, an old military bunker that now serves as the best viewpoint on the island. The climb is short but the path is uneven, so decent footwear helps. From the top, you get a clear view over Ba Ngoi port and the surrounding coastline. Vietnamese visitors who stay overnight on the island typically come here for sunrise before heading down to the beach.
3. Bai Nha Cu
Bai Nha Cu is on the west side of the island and has some of the clearest water on Binh Ba. However, the seabed is rocky and there are plenty of sea urchins, which makes it unsuitable for swimming without protection. The main reason to visit is the coral, which is best viewed from a glass-bottom basket boat — local fishermen offer rides for a small fee. If you want to snorkel, the water level is most favorable around 2pm when the tide is higher. Coral viewing here is genuinely worthwhile, though the coral near the shore is largely dead.
4. Bai Con Rua
Bai Con Rua is named after a turtle-shaped rock formation that juts out into the sea. The beach is only accessible by boat from the main port, which keeps visitor numbers lower than the beaches reachable by road. The water is clear and the coral is in reasonably good condition. It is considered one of the better snorkeling spots on the island.
5. Bai Nom
Bai Nom is the main swimming beach on Binh Ba and the most popular with both locals and visitors. It sits on the south side of the island, sheltered by two mountain ranges, which keeps the water calm year-round. The beach has white sand and is the most accessible on the island. Late afternoon is when it gets busiest, with beach activities available and a string of seafood restaurants along the waterfront. It faces south, so there are no sunrise or sunset views from here.
6. Binh Ba market and snack street
Binh Ba market is near the port in the center of the island and is most lively in the early morning when fishing boats return. It is a small, genuinely local market selling fresh seafood, simple cooked food, and basic supplies. Close to the market is what locals call the Binh Ba snack street — a strip of informal food stalls near the port where visitors can find cheap local dishes without the price inflation that sometimes comes with beachfront restaurants.
7. Binh Ba port
The port is in the northern part of the island and offers a view that is fairly unique to places like Binh Ba — fishing boats moored in the bay, and rows of floating cages where lobster are farmed directly in the water. It gives a honest picture of how the island makes its living, and for visitors interested in that side of Vietnamese coastal life, it is worth a look.
The water around the port and the floating villages nearby is visibly polluted. Waste management on the island is poor, and the northern area around the port and fish farms is where the problem is most noticeable. It does not make the port area unpleasant to pass through, but it is worth knowing before you expect a pristine harbor scene.
Food on Binh Ba island
Lobster is what the island is known for, and for good reason. The lobster farmed on Binh Ba is sold at prices noticeably lower than on the mainland, simply because it is raised here and does not need to travel far. When buying, vendors typically offer two price tiers — live lobster, and lobster that has been stressed or partially suffocated during handling, sold at roughly half the price. The difference in quality is significant enough that live is worth paying for if the budget allows.
Beyond lobster, the island produces a range of fresh seafood that makes up the bulk of what is served at local restaurants and market stalls. Goi ca mai — a raw fish salad made from a small local fish that requires tedious deboning — is considered a Binh Ba specialty and worth trying if it is available. Other dishes commonly found on the island include blue swimmer crab, cuttlefish, sea urchin, and vu nang snails.
For meals, Bai Nom has the highest concentration of seafood restaurants and is the main spot for evening eating. The market and snack street near the port are the better option during the day for cheap, unpretentious local food. Prices at the market are generally fair and consistent — the kind of price inflation common at more tourist-facing destinations is less of an issue here.
Location and getting there
Where is Binh Ba island
Binh Ba island is located in Cam Binh commune, Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa province. It sits around 60 kilometers south of Nha Trang and approximately 15 kilometers from Ba Ngoi port on the mainland, which is the departure point for boats to the island.
Foreigners are not allowed on Binh Ba island
As covered earlier in this guide, foreign nationals are not permitted to enter Binh Ba island due to its active military status. Vietnamese visitors must carry a valid ID — CMND, CCCD, or passport — and may be asked to provide details at the border post on arrival.
Getting to Ba Ngoi port
From Nha Trang, the most straightforward option is the Phuong Trang bus to Cam Ranh bus station, after which a short motorbike taxi ride gets you to Ba Ngoi port. Travelers coming by motorbike or car can drive directly to the port and leave their vehicle at parking near the pier.
Boat to Binh Ba island
Boats run on a fixed schedule in both directions. From Ba Ngoi to Binh Ba: 7:00, 10:00, 13:30, 16:00. From Binh Ba back to Ba Ngoi: 5:00, 9:00, 12:30, 16:30. The slower wooden ferry takes between 30 and 60 minutes and costs around 25,000 to 40,000 VND. Speedboats cover the crossing in roughly 15 to 20 minutes at around 100,000 to 200,000 VND. Recent visitors have flagged the speedboats as overcrowded and poorly equipped with life jackets, which is worth keeping in mind.
Getting around the island
Binh Ba is small enough that a motorbike covers the whole island comfortably. Rentals are available near the port for around 150,000 to 200,000 VND per day including fuel. Some of the beaches on the west side of the island are not accessible by road and require a short boat ride from the port.
Practical information
There are no ATMs on Binh Ba island. Vietnamese visitors should bring enough cash to cover the full stay before boarding the ferry.
Accommodation on the island is basic and limited in number. Options range from informal homestays — rooms in local homes not purpose-built for tourism — to small guesthouses and a handful of simple hotels. Prices for a double room generally fall between 200,000 and 500,000 VND per night. During weekends and public holidays the island gets busy and rooms fill up quickly, so booking ahead is strongly recommended.
Many Vietnamese visitors choose to stay at least one night, mainly to catch the sunrise from Bai Chuong or the Lo Cot Cu bunker viewpoint above it — both of which require an early start that is difficult to manage as a day trip from the mainland.
Nearby islands worth visiting
For foreign travelers who cannot visit Binh Ba, there are other islands in the Cam Ranh and Nha Trang area that are open to everyone and worth considering.
Binh Lap peninsula
Binh Lap is often grouped with the other “Tu Binh” islands but is technically a peninsula rather than an island. It sits on the southern end of the Cam Ranh peninsula and has a remote, undeveloped feel that is genuinely hard to find along this stretch of coast. The landscape is rugged, the beaches are quiet, and it sees far fewer visitors than the islands closer to Nha Trang.
Hon Noi (Yen island)
Hon Noi, also known as Yen island or Swallow island, is best known for two things: its unusual double beach, where two stretches of sand meet at a narrow strip of land, and the swallow nests harvested from the island’s caves — a valuable local industry. Access is strictly controlled by the government, with tours limited to around 100 visitors per day. For foreign travelers looking for something off the beaten track in this part of Khanh Hoa, that limited access is part of the appeal.
For a broader overview of the islands in this part of Khanh Hoa, the best islands near Nha Trang guide covers the main options in more detail.
